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RAMBLES WITH A HAMMER. 117 
RAMBLES WITH A HAMMER. 
BY W. JEROME HARRISON, F.G.5. 
In writing an account of some geological walks in the midland 
counties, we wish at the outset to state briefly the purpose of our 
remarks. Selecting, as far as possible, districts which exhibit typically 
certain rocks, we propose to point out how these may be best reached 
and studied in the course of one or more day’s walking, describing the 
sections to be visited, and giving such a general idea of the route as will 
enable the visitor to have a knowledge of any remarkable objects to be 
met with on the way. 
We shall estimate an ordinary summer day’s walk of this kind at 
from twelve to fifteen miles, a distance which will be found well within 
the powers of an ordinary individual of either sex. Only those who 
have tried it can form an idea of the pleasant and thorough way in 
which a country can be seen in this manner, or of the improvement in 
health, as well as knowledge, which result from it. 
In clothing we advise stout lace-up boots, a light felt hat, and 
flannel next the skin. A good square-headed hammer is indispensable, 
as also a small compass and the Ordnance or Geological Survey Map of 
the district if possible. A good bag, satchel, or knapsack in which to 
carry provisions, &c., will also be needed; a clinometer, trimming 
hammer, chisel, pocket lens, and tape measure are of course useful, but 
may be taken or left according to the special object of the trip; a good 
plan is to go twice over the ground, on the first visit getting a good 
idea of the nature and lie of the rocks and the salient features generally , 
whilst on the second occasion rocks and fossils may be collected, and the 
sections studied in detail. A note-book and pencil should always be 
carried. 
RAMBLE NO. I.—OVER CHARNWOOD FOREST. 
In selecting a region for a first ramble, our thoughts naturally fell 
upon Charnwood Forest, partly because of the age of the rocks and the 
accessibility of the district, but more especially because we trust that 
many of our readers will during this month avail themselves of the 
annual meeting of the “‘ Midland Union” at Leicester to pay a visit to 
this remarkable outcrop of palewozoic rocks in the very centre of 
England. Charnwood lies within the triangle formed by the towns of 
Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Loughborough, and Leicester. Its shape is an oval 
formed of hilly ridges trending north-west to south-east, the distance 
from Gracedieu to Groby being about eight miles, while the width at 
right angles to this from Bardon Hill to Forest Gate is about five miles, 
Mountsorrel is an outlying mass on the edge of the Soar Valley, two 
miles to the north-east, whilst syenitic bosses crop up as far southwards 
as Sapcote, nine miles from Groby. 
The forest area is formed by crystalline and metamorphic rocks, 
which are, however, at many points covered over by Triassic red marls, 
the latter running up the valleys in long tongues. The metamorphic 
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